Cleaning is an interesting topic. I bore snake my AR. I haven't cleaned the bolt yet, but I brush all the crap off. I don't even know if I'm supposed to clean the gas tube. The Glock I used to clean before I'd go shooting, but now probably every other trip to the range. The S&W 22A really needs to be cleaned after each session since I have to scrape the crap out with toothpicks. The Walther is still being broken in so I guess I'll keep that clean.

 

 

The advice I received was not to clean the gas tube. Supposedly pipe cleaners and such cause more problems then they solve. Simply replace the tube when it gets too cruddy. They are pretty cheap.

Nope.

I use to, not anymore due to lack of time

heard the same for the sig 556. skip the gas tube.

My dad taught me that if you shoot it you clean it, kept that as my mantra ever since, only time that changed was in combat, and as soon as possible(safe) cleaned every arm assigned. ie M-60,GAU etc. Now in LE for 30 + years and every time I fire it gets cleaned. Be it handgun, shotgun MP 5 or my own weapons.......JMOP

I do every time.

 

Why?

 

It gives you a chance to look over the gun to see if there are any mechanical failures. No I'm not saying I expect to find any, but if a failure occurs, I'd rather find it at my bench then the next time I fire it and it goes KB in my hand.

I clean after every trip to the range. After 1000 rounds through the AR I haven't removed the handguards to clean the gas tube.

 

No problems with my 22A. Not that dirty at all. What ammo are you shooting in it Chris? The only ammo I've used is Federal 40gr round nose HV.

 

The S&W 22A really needs to be cleaned after each session since I have to scrape the crap out with toothpicks.

I don't concern myself too much with the XD or 870, as I don't even take them to the range that often (and run few rounds when I do).

 

My AR I clean every time though. I do it to look for anything that might lead to a failure; because if I'm depending on it as my life-line, I should show it the respect to ensure it goes 'boom' every time; and Uncle made it muscle memory regardless.

I'm horrible with cleaning. I usually shoot them.. come home.. throw them back in the safe.. repeat for 4-5 range trips... then feel bad for the guns and give them a half-assed cleaning. The ARs and the Glock probably get treated the worst. The ARs in particular get treated like red headed stepchildren. I slather the bolts with SLIP 2000 and pretty much ignore them when I'm not shooting them.

 

In an attempt to be a LITTLE better, I recently picked up a rem-cloth and a few bore snakes. Maybe I'll actually start using them.

I do not know how I lived for so many years w/o Boresnakes

I clean every time, this is why I take only a few each trip...

yupp